17^9. ROUND THE WORLD. 307 



some objection against it, but the physicians bid the 

 fairest to interest the king in the preservation of the 

 ancient privileges of his people ; for they remon- 

 strated that if the filth was not, as usual, thrown into 

 the streets, a fatal sickness would probably ensue, be- 

 cause the putrescent particles of the air, which such 

 filth attracted, would then be imbibed by the human 

 body. But this expedient, with every other that 

 could be thought of, proved unsuccessful, and the 

 popular discontent then ran so high that it was very 

 near producing an insurrection ; his Majesty, how- 

 ever, at length prevailed, and Madrid is now as clear 

 as most of the considerable cities in Europe. But 

 many of the citizens, probably upon the principles 

 advanced by their physicians, that heaps of filth pre- 

 vent deleterious particles of air from fixing upon 

 neighbouring substances, have, to keep their food 

 wholesome, constructed their privies by the kitchen 

 fire. 



In the evening, all our boats being employed in 

 carrying the water on board, and Mr. Banks and his 

 company finding it probable that they should be left 

 on shore after it was dark, by which much time 

 would be lost, which they were impatient to employ 

 in putting the plants they had gathered in order, 

 they applied to the Indians for a passage in one of 

 their canoes : they immediately consented, and a 

 canoe was launched for their use. They went all on 

 board, being eight in number, but not being used to 

 a vessel that required so even a balance, they un- 

 fortunately overset her in the surf: no life, however, 

 was lost, but it was thought advisable that half of 

 them should wait for another turn. Mr. Banks, 

 Dr. Solander, Tupia, and Tayeto embarked again, 

 and without any further accident arrived safely at 

 the ship, well pleased with the good nature of their 

 Indian friends, who cheerfully undertook to carry 

 them a second time, after having experienced how 

 unfit a freight they were for such a vessel. 



X 2 



